Kiosks now in four southeastern Colorado communities

Information kiosks in Eads, Fowler, Granada and Springfield now welcome visitors to southeast Colorado by providing maps and information on local history and attractions. These four “gateway” kiosks are the first phase in a Wayfinding Project sponsored by the regional heritage tourism group, Canyons & Plains (C&P).

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By Canyons & Plains

LA Junta Tribune - La Junta, CO

By Canyons & Plains

Posted Apr. 3, 2013 at 3:00 PM

By Canyons & Plains

Posted Apr. 3, 2013 at 3:00 PM

Information kiosks in Eads, Fowler, Granada and Springfield now welcome visitors to southeast Colorado by providing maps and information on local history and attractions. These four "gateway" kiosks are the first phase in a Wayfinding Project sponsored by the regional heritage tourism group, Canyons & Plains (C&P).

Canyons & Plains, with Otero County serving as the conduit, received funding totaling $80,000 from Preserve America (a historic grant division of the National Park Service) and Colorado Parks and Wildlife to pay for the kiosks. The wayfinding panels are one of the key components of the strategic plan Canyons & Plains developed in 2007.

"The four new installations will make the full array of heritage opportunities visible to travelers," said C&P Board President Pam Denahy. "The panels introduce regional stories that have national significance, and keep travelers in the region longer, thus helping to produce new tourism revenues."

Each installation features a large map of southeast Colorado identifying important natural and cultural attractions. Separate panels include a timeline of the region's nationally significant heritage sites, a guide to local wildlife and bird watching opportunities and information on the history of the local community or area where the kiosk is located.

C&P will continue efforts to boost heritage tourism with a second phase of wayfinding in concert with the Colorado Department of Transportation. That phase, which is just beginning, will place similar visitor information kiosks in over a dozen cities and towns in Southeast Colorado, further highlighting the unique resources this region has to offer.

Canyons & Plains (formerly known as the Southeast Colorado Regional Heritage Task Force) is a heritage tourism development organization. Formed in 2003, C&P serves seven counties — Baca, Bent, Crowley, Kiowa, Otero, Prowers and eastern Las Animas. The nonprofit group promotes visitation to and stewardship of the unique historical, natural and cultural assets of southeastern Colorado among resident, state, national and international audiences. Since its formation, C&P has garnered over $1 million in funding for projects in the area.